Tis the Season
by RTSam
Summary: A series of Christmas short stories :)


**AN: So, I know I should be working on 'Trials of Love' and believe me, I am. I just had these ideas floating in my head and they wouldn't leave. So… here are a series of Christmas shorts. Some one chapter, some two or three. Hope you enjoy! And remember, PLEASE REVIEW!**

**AN2: I don't own the characters. If there is an original one, thought of by me, then I'll say so. Dick Wolfe is a dang lucky son of a nutcracker!**

**AN3: For the sake of this story, Elliot and Kathy divorced shortly after El left SVU after the ordeal with Jenna. It's been almost two years since Elliot turned in his papers.**

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Olivia Benson stared at herself in the full length mirror, tugging and pulling at her dress. She groaned, frustrated with the dress she bought months ago, the dress that fit perfectly last week. She tried tugging and wiggling her hips one more time, praying the expensive material would somehow stretch just a little. She groaned again and sat down on the bench beside the mirror, placing her head in her hands as the tears threatened to fall. There was a soft knock at the door. Olivia lifted her head as the door was opened seconds later and three beautiful, blue-eyed blondes entered the room in their matching red dresses.

"Hey, Liv," the eldest, Maureen, said softly. "You ready? Uncle Munch said everyone's ready to go." She stared wide-eyed at the sight of Olivia almost in tears. "Liv, what's wrong?" she asked, moving to kneel in front of the older woman. She placed her hands on Olivia's knee and rubbed small circles on them.

Olivia looked up and met Maureen's eyes. "Damn dress doesn't fit right," she said softly, a lone tear finally escaping. "I don't understand. It fit fine last week. I couldn't have changed that much in one week." Olivia looked down at her stomach, attempting to pull on the fabric again.

Maureen grabbed a hold of both of her hands to stop her from pulling at the material. "Liv, I helped you put the dress on and you looked stunning. The most beautiful bride I have ever seen." She heard Olivia scoff and motioned for one of her sisters to hand her a tissue. She held out her hand and Kathleen handed her a few. She dabbed at Olivia's eyes, trying to salvage her eye makeup. "Stand up, Olivia," Maureen demanded as she rose from her crouched position. Olivia lifted her eyes and gave Maureen an odd look. "Seriously, up." She demanded again as she pulled on Olivia's hands. Maureen heard giggles from behind her and she shot her sisters a 'shut up' look.

Olivia allowed herself to be pulled to her feet by the young woman. Maureen ushered Olivia to stand in front of her. "Liv, look at you. You are beautiful. You're glowing," she said with a knowing look and a slight smirk. "This dress looks absolutely amazing on you, Liv. I would kill for your curves," Maureen told her. She grabbed Olivia's hips and turned her to the side. "Seriously, Liv, look at your ass," she demanded with a chuckle. "I wish I had an ass like that. I inherited mom's non-ass whereas dumb and dumber behind me inherited dad's."

Kathleen and Lizzie laughed as they joined Maureen and Olivia in front of the mirror. Kathleen wrapped her arms around Olivia's middle and lay her head on Olivia's bare shoulder. "You really do look incredible, Olivia. The ruching right here," she said, running her fingers across Olivia's stomach, "hides the little bambino no matter what you think." She met Olivia's wet eyes in the mirror. "You look amazing."

Lizzie stepped closer and ran her fingers over the lace-up corset back. "You know, Liv, I bet we could loosen the middle area just a bit and everything would be fine. You want me to try?"

Olivia nodded and took one of the tissues Maureen held out to her. "Thank you, girls," she managed to choke out while dabbing at her eyes. "I don't know why I fell apart like this."

"Hormones," the girls all answered at once, laughing, as they hurriedly got Olivia ready to walk down the aisle. Maureen fixed her makeup while Kathleen and Lizzie redid the corset on her dress. "See," Lizzie exclaimed excitedly. "Isn't that better, Liv? Now you can breathe."

Olivia studied herself in the mirror again. She was flanked by her just-about-to-be step-daughters, she was marrying the love of her life, and she was pregnant with the child she never thought she'd be blessed with. Olivia couldn't be happier.

"You know," Kathleen began, "Dad's gonna flip his shit when he sees you in this dress, Liv."

Olivia's jaw dropped and the three sisters laughed hysterically. "Kathleen Joy Stabler!" Olivia admonished, chuckling.

"See, Liv, you already sound like a momma," Lizzie told her as she turned to gather their bouquets off the vanity. "Here," she said as she passed them out. Olivia's was made of deep red roses and rhinestones while the girls' bouquets were white roses and rhinestones. The contrasting red and white were breathtaking and went perfectly with the décor for the reception.

As the girls were making their final preparations, there was a knock at the door. "Olivia?" a male voice called out. Maureen opened the door to reveal Don Cragen. He eyed the young woman carefully. Maureen winked at him and mouthed 'crisis averted' and Don let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Maureen stepped back and Don entered the room. He gasped, hand over his heart, as he saw Olivia for the first time that day. He and Olivia met each other's eyes in the mirror. Lizzie finished securing Olivia's birdcage veil and the white flower in her hair.

"What do you think?" Olivia asked, turning to face her ex-captain and pseudo father.

Don just stared at her. He was speechless. He still held his hand over his heart. "You stole my breath, my dear." His eyes teared up as Olivia moved towards him. "You look beautiful. You sure you want to marry Stabler?" he joked.

Olivia smiled at the older man and glanced at each of the girls. "More than anything," she said.

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The ceremony began a few minutes after Don's arrival. When the doors to the ballroom opened and Olivia was revealed, Elliot's knees nearly buckled. Dickie reached out to steady his father. He whispered for him to remember to breathe and smirked at his father's antics. Though he had to admit, his step-mother looked breath-taking. Fin and John snickered. Elliot tried to remain calm as his bride came towards him on Cragen's arm. His eyes were desperate to fill with tears but he kept blinking them away.

As Olivia made her way down the aisle, she kept her eyes on Elliot. He looked as handsome as ever in his perfect, custom fit tuxedo. She saw him wipe his eyes and knew he was just as happy as she was to finally have reached this day. Olivia felt as though her heart was going to burst out of her chest. She had been waiting for –and dreaming of- this day for as long as she could remember. She stole a quick glance around the ballroom and noted to herself that everything was perfect.

Elliot stepped down to meet Don as he placed Olivia's hand within his own. He kept his eyes on his bride and watched her kiss their ex-captain on the cheek. Elliot shook the older man's hand and gave him a nod. He and Olivia watched as Cragen took his seat beside his new wife, Elizabeth Donnelly.

Olivia smiled at her groom and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "We made it," she whispered to Elliot, her eyes dancing with delight when Elliot leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek.

The pair turned towards the minister and listened as he began to recite a passage from the Bible about love. Olivia could barely comprehend what he was saying. Her heart was beating so loud and she could swear she could hear Elliot's as well. The road to this place, this moment in time, hadn't been easy. Life threw them as many curveballs as it could, and yet, they still managed to overcome it all. In the end, it seemed to make their bond -their love- stronger and their connection deeper. Olivia felt Elliot squeeze her hand and she turned to face him after passing off her bouquet to Maureen. She looked into Elliot's eyes and they recited their vows, blocking out everyone and everything except each other and the little life growing inside of Olivia.

The fact that Olivia was pregnant was being kept to themselves -and the kids- until Liv was past her first trimester. The kids were overjoyed when Elliot and Olivia shared the news and promised to keep it quiet. The baby was most definitely a surprise and a blessing all rolled into one 'peanut' package. He or she was their early Christmas present.

The ceremony was almost over and Elliot and Olivia could barely contain themselves. Elliot looked ready to jump for joy like a little boy on Christmas morning and Olivia was about ten seconds away from turning to the minister and telling him to hurry his a—his tushy up. Just when she was about to turn around, Olivia heard the most wonderful words ever spoken… next to 'you're pregnant'.

"By the powers vested in me from the great state of New York, I now pronounce you are husband and wife. What God has brought together, let no man put asunder. Elliot, my boy, you may kiss your beautiful wife."

And boy did he. It was the type of kiss that everyone in the room felt. The love between the two wrapped the room. Olivia squealed into the kiss as Elliot spun and dipped her. The room erupted in applause and the couple finally broke apart. The smiles on their faces were unlike any they'd had before and Elliot discreetly ran his fingers over Olivia's barely-there baby bump.

"It is my honor to formally introduce to you, friends and family, Mr. and Mrs. Elliot Stabler. Go in love," the minister directed.

Olivia turned to Maureen and collected her bouquet. Elliot let out a loud 'whoo hoo' and caught Olivia off guard by sweeping her into his arms and carrying her down the aisle.

"Put me down, El," Olivia laughed.

Elliot finally set Olivia on her feet once they were through the double doors and into a private hallway, but didn't let her out of his arms. He kissed her just as passionately as he had when the minister told him she was finally his wife. "Do you have any idea how much I love you, Mrs. Stabler?" Elliot asked, their foreheads touching.

Olivia grinned and kissed his nose. "Mrs. Stabler. I really love the sound of that," she told him. "And I love you too." They could hear the wedding party getting closer so they shared a few more kisses before their alone time was up.

Maureen and Dickie were the first to find them. "Are you guys ready for the par-tay?" Maureen asked, hip bumping her brother who playfully pushed her away.

Elliot laughed at his eldest daughters antics while holding his wife close. "I don't know. Mrs. Stabler, are you ready to par-tay?" he asked, mimicking Maureen.

"Let's go throw down, Mr. Stabler."

Dickie rolled his eyes. "Seriously? Throw down?"

Olivia and Elliot chuckled, wrapped in each other's arms, and led the way to the reception hall. They were both thinking that this was definitely going to be the best Christmas either of them had ever had in their entire lives… And with a new baby on the way, things were only going to get better and better.

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**Like? Dislike? Let me know! Also, let me know what you'd like to see next. The honeymoon? A different story? I have a few things in mind but I welcome suggestions :)**


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